A mere 10 months before the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, hotels, planes, metros, ferries, and more have been overtaken by bedbugs.
Bedbugs have been declared a public health issue and has forced the government to put together an action plan to be directly addressed at a national level. Transport Minister, Clément Beaune, has called a meeting with public transport officers to discuss safety and to “reassure and protect” travelers.
Because of the 2024 Summer Olympics taking place in Paris in less than a year, the French public and government is worried that the bedbug infestation will not be solved by then. Since the bugs have invaded hotels, travelers are afraid to come to the city of love, because of the risk of taking the pests home with them.
Train passengers have been petrified to find bed bugs in their seats and armrests. They have shared videos on social media, telling travelers to be careful where you sit or put fabric bags, coats, and suitcases. When people stay in a place that is infested with bed bugs, the bed bugs will travel with them through their belongings, like clothing.
Bedbugs have now even jumped ship to Morocco. They have been found on a ferry traveling from Marseille to Morocco, in passenger seats and more. This is the first time the bugs have been noted by officials to be “on the move.” Ships have had to be cleaned and disinfected before further transportation.
Exterminator companies have boomed, treating homes left and right for the pests. The average Parisian has spent $500 recently to treat the small bugs. Customers are willing to pay more than normal prices to get rid of the tiny bugs.
You can prevent bedbugs by being extremely careful where you set your suitcases and fabric items. They come out at night to feed on human blood, so you should check your mattresses and soft furnishings before sitting down. They can even hide in electrical sockets, floorboards, and behind wallpaper. Even though they are small, they are visible to the human eye. If you see them, you should put all things that could be infected in garbage bags, closed tight, and keep it in a high temperature setting.